Blackberries are a well-known, aggregate fruit enjoyed by many throughout the world. One example of an existing, patented blackberry variety is APF-8 (marketed as Prime Jan® blackberry), U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,788. Another example of an existing blackberry variety is ‘Camila’, U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/694,787 filed 4 Jan. 2013. Such varieties both provide fruit on primocanes, but are thorny. Thus, there is a need for a blackberry variety that is thornless yet provides desirable fruit on primocanes.
The present cultivar, ‘Amara’, provides one or more of these or other characteristics. For example, the present cultivar, ‘Amara’, is thornless while also providing desirable fruit on primocanes.
Compared to APF-8 based on some typical results, the present cultivar, Amara (also known as “HFM-2”), and APF-8 are both primocane-fruiting blackberries, but Amara is thornless. In addition, the fruits of Amara are considerably firmer and smaller (7.6 g versus 9.8 g, respectively) than those of APF-8. Amara fruits are sweeter than those of APF-8 (10.9° Brix versus 9.8° Brix, respectively). In post-harvest storage, fruits of Amara maintain higher levels of firmness (85% firm at 7 days at 5° C.) than fruits of APF-8 (50% firm at 7 days at 5° C.). Amara fruits also have a lower level of regression to red drupelets (less than 10%) in post-harvest storage (same conditions and time as above observation) than those of APF-8 (20 to 25% regression). The ripening date of primocane fruits of Amara and APF-8 are similar.
Compared to Camila based on some typical results, the present cultivar, Amara (also known as “HFM-2”), and Camila are both primocane-fruiting blackberries, but Amara is thornless. In addition, Amara and Camila have the same maternal parent (‘APF-77’ cultivar) but Amara has less vegetative vigor and shorter internodes than Camila. Further, Amara begins flowering (on primocanes) about five days before Camila, but Camila takes about 60 days from flower opening to fruit ripening while Amara takes about 75 days, so Amara fruit ripens about ten days after Camila. Fruits of both varieties are broadly oblong in shape, but those of Amara are slightly smaller than the fruits of Camila, averaging 7.6 grams versus 8.4 grams, respectively. Amara fruits are not as sweet as fruits of Camila (10.9° Brix versus 15.1° Brix, on average, respectively), however neither variety has any bitter aftertaste common to other blackberry varieties. Titratable acidity of Amara is also somewhat higher than Camila 0.9% versus 0.7%, respectively. Fruits of Amara are considerably firmer than those of Camila, with 85% and 35% firm fruit, for each variety, respectively, after 7 days at 5° C.
Speaking more generally about blackberry varieties, there are a number of thornless blackberries in existence, but they are not primocane fruiting types. On the other hand, there are some existing primocane-fruiting blackberries, but these are not thornless. Compared to the thorny primocane-fruiting blackberries, Amara is somewhat similar to the variety ‘Reuben’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,497) in that both have moderate stature and erect architecture. Of the thornless, floricane-fruiting blackberries, Amara is somewhat similar to the variety ‘Ouachita’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,162) in that both fruit on floricanes during the mid-season.